Six Nations: James Haskell not bothered by Irish taunts

James Haskell has dismissed taunts from the Ireland camp that the rest of the rugby world will be behind their bid to ruin England’s Grand Slam party on Saturday.

I’m in the band: James Haskell limbers up to face Ireland (Picture: Getty)

England-baiting has been a theme of the tournament, with Wales coach Warren Gatland aiming criticism at Dylan Hartley while France boss Marc Lievremont claimed: ‘We all don’t like the English.’

Ireland wing Tommy Bowe stirred the pot by declaring ‘all the different countries will be backing us’ to stop England from winning their first Grand Slam since 2003.

Wales are the only side that can mathematically deny England the title and they will certainly be rooting for an Ireland victory in Dublin. But England have not been rattled yet and Haskell insisted the hosts’ attempt at a war of words would also fail.

‘Does all the pomp and circumstance of a week like this affect us while we are in camp? No, it doesn’t,’ said Haskell.

‘Unless they firebomb the bus or come storming the hotel with placards it is an irrelevance for us.’ England’s points-difference advantage over Wales is 40, leaving them strong favourites to clinch the title in Dublin even if they lose to Ireland.

‘This is a grand final against Ireland at the new Lansdowne Road. That is all the motivation you will ever need to have,’ Haskell added.

‘You want to go out there and perform and make sure nothing is left in the tank. What a shame it would be to go through this attritional Six Nations and play all that rugby to be left thinking about the what ifs.

‘You are going to leave nothing out on the field because if you do you will spend the coming years ruing the day you didn’t put the effort in.’